Andreas Horn

Why did you choose Cranfield?

I spent about four years in industry and was involved in avionics design, reaching from small general aviation aircraft up to regional business jets. I was involved in supplemental type certification, which is essentially modifying existing aircraft and providing cutting-edge technology avionics. I had a good background in avionics in terms of industry practice but Cranfield was still a very challenging environment because you're faced with not only the latest technology, you're also faced with that research thinking and that inspiring way of communicating with people - it was really a fascinating experience.

Having the industry background already it was actually surprising to me how well the group design project actually reflects the industry environment. All the processes I learned during my experience in industry were actually present in the group design project. For me it was as if I was working in an aviation company - a pure industrial environment, it didn't feel like a university environment. It's a great mix of the academic knowledge but it is really applied in an industry sense so you feel like you are part of an industry company.

How would you describe your experience at Cranfield?

It's challenging, it's inspiring, but most of all it's a rewarding experience. I've never met so many new friends and spent such a great time with many different people from all over the world as I did the year I spent here. It’s a once in a lifetime experience.

What advice would you give to students thinking about coming to Cranfield?

Well actually it's very simple, if you're thinking about coming to Cranfield just do it because, I've had the same concerns or queries at the beginning but it turned out to be a very interesting, challenging and rewarding experience and I would definitely make the same choice again.

What are your plans for the future?

I'm deeply convinced that if we bring engineering knowledge into pilot training then we can enhance aviation safety overall. So I'm planning to become an instructor for pilots so that I can share the fundamental knowledge of engineering and actually bring it to those in daily airline operations to contribute to aviation safety.